Out Of The Rift
by believable-pen
Summary: Jack and Owen go out to investigate a spike in the Rift..."Jack is that a man?" "Yep and naked as the day he was born."
1. Chapter 1

_**Out of the Rift**_

It was almost 1am on a cold December morning when the ex-police officer announced; "There's a definite spike in the Rift just up from the Millennium Stadium," said Gwen, turning to Jack. "It isn't a big one, so I think you and Owen can handle it." She turned to Tosh and smiled.

"Who put you in charge?" asked Owen, getting into his coat.

The two women giggled.

So much had fallen through the Rift lately, that Jack had asked his team members to stay the night to catch up on all the paperwork. It wasn't a unanimous vote, but they stayed to please their boss.

"Come on, Owen," said Jack. "The quicker we find out what it is, the quicker we get back in the warm."

Owen eyed the two women and frowned. "I expect hot chocolate and muffins mind."

"We'll see," said Gwen, sitting at her workstation.

"Whatever it is," began Tosh, "It's almost static now."

"Not surprised. Probably froze on entry through the Rift." Owen told her.

The two men left in the direction of the under ground car park and the SUV. Owen was grumbling, as usual.

"Too bloody cold to be out chasing whatever it is!"

Jack smiled.

"It's alright for you. Bet that coat keeps you warm."

"Yep and I intend to keep it that way."

The drive to the Stadium was in silence as Owen rubbed his hands together to keep them warm.

Parking the SUV, the two men got out and looked around.

"I'm picking up movement over by that door," said Owen, pointing.

"Let's go take a look."

Moving slowly, the two men moved forward.

"Bloody hell, it's a naked man. Surely he can't be what we're lookin' for."

Jack touched his head set. "Tosh?"

"That's it, Jack."

"Tosh says yes," Jack told Owen.

The man shivered.

"Put your coat around him, Jack."

Jack frowned, but complied, taking it off and placing it around the man's shoulders. Owen looked at the scanner in his hand.

"Don't take your hands away from the coat."

"What? Why?"

"His breathing has gone back to normal and I think he's taking in your scent."

"You're kiddin', right?"

"Nope."

The man rested his head against Jack's chest as he knelt beside him.

"We need to get him back to the Hub and find out where he came from. He's obviously human."

Jack stood up, bringing the man with him. A small whimper escaped the man's lips.

"It's okay," crooned Jack. "No one's gonna hurt you."

The young man rose to his feet, head coming to rest on Jack's shoulder. His arms went around Jack's waist, as he clung to the older man. He stood on wobbly legs, as Jack held on to him.

"I don't think he'll make it to the car on his own," observed Owen.

Nodding, Jack scooped him up into his arms and carried him, unresisting, to the SUV. Owen opened the back door and Jack placed the young man on the seat and got in beside him. Owen got in the driver's seat, heading back to the Hub as fast as he could.

"Keep 'im warm, Jack."

Jack pulled the young man to his side, wrapping his arms around him.

As they drove down Lloyd George Avenue, Jack spoke.

"Drop us off at the water tower. Park the SUV and I'll see to him."

Owen nodded. "Put him on the couch, Jack. If he sees the autopsy bay, he might freak out."

"Okay."

Stopping at the water tower, Jack opened the door and pulling the younger man across the seat, carried him to the invisible lift. As the SUV drove off, the open door slammed shut.

Placing the young man down on his feet, Jack opened his wrist strap, keyed in a few numbers and the stone began to descend. As it got near the bottom, Gwen approached them.

"Jack, is that a man?"

"Yep and naked as the day he was born."

Getting off the lift, Jack carried the man to the battered old couch and sat him on it. Sitting next to him, Jack waited for Owen. The medic arrived a few minutes later.

"I'll get a set of scrubs for him."

Jack nodded.

"Then I'll give him a once over."

"Is he human?" asked Gwen.

"Owen thinks he is."

"And he came through the Rift?"

"Yeah. The Rift takes things as well as letting them through." He looked at Tosh. "We think he's between maybe 18 and 21. Look back to say 1980 and see if someone fitting his description went missing."

"Okay, Jack."

Tosh's fingers worked their magic over the keyboard.

Jack took out his mobile phone, snapped off a picture of the young man and passed the phone to Gwen.

"Give this to Tosh. She can use the likeness to find out who he is."

Gwen took the phone to Tosh, standing beside her as she checked through records. Five minutes later, she found a match.

"Got him, Jack. Ianto Jones. Went missing from his buggie 7th September 1985, aged almost 26 months." Her fingers worked the keys again. "Both parents are dead. He does have an older sister who lives in Newport."

Once Ianto Jones had the scrubs on, Jack placed his coat along the back of the couch.

"That makes him almost 23."

"Looks younger," said Owen.

"So, the Rift took him?" said Gwen. "So why did it give him back?"

"Because it can." Jack frowned, remembering Flat Holm.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter Two**_

Owen ran the scanner over Ianto, who seemed a little uneasy with it.

"He's in quite good shape, considering. A little underweight and dehydrated, but a few weeks and he'll be fine."

Ianto yawned, his eyes closing, then fluttering open again.

"He's also knackered," added Owen.

Jack lifted Ianto's legs and moved him so he was lying down. The younger man didn't resist.

"You got a way with him," observed Owen.

Jack didn't answer him.

Owen raised an eyebrow, but left it. The girls where busy doing their paperwork.

As Ianto slept, Jack went up to his office. Tosh had given him a piece of paper with details on it about Ianto's sister.

RHIANNON DAVIES

MARRIED TO JOHNNY

TWO CHILDREN

DAVID AGED 10

MICHA AGED 6

37 KILNE ROAD

NEWPORT

01956 344519

07374645934

Leaning back in his chair, Jack sighed. Now wasn't the time to inform her about her brother, Jack decided. He'd wait until he could speak with Ianto. Find out if he was 'damaged' in any way. See if he could be 'fixed' if he was. Thoughts of those on Flat Holm Island went through his mind.

An hour and fifteen minutes later, Jack heard a scream and, rushing out of his office, looked down to see Owen holding Ianto's shoulder, trying to calm him.

"Jack, get down here!"

Taking the stairs two at a time, Jack made his way to the couch.

"What the hell happened?"

Owen shook his head. "He just woke up screamin'."

Jack put his hands on the younger man's chest and leaned in close.

"Ianto, it's okay. You're safe. No one's gonna hurt you."

Wild eyes, searched his face, staring back at him, pupils almost blown. He shook his head, tears sliding down into his hair.

Owen stepped back, scrubbing a hand over his face.

Jack looked around.

"I sent them home an hour ago. All their paperwork is done."

Jack frowned, then nodded. "Good." He turned his attention back to Ianto, who seemed to have calmed down a little. "Do you understand me?" He asked.

Ianto nodded.

"Can you talk?"

Ianto frowned, shaking his head.

"Dumb…mute?"

Ianto shook his head again.

It was Jack's turn to frown. "Wasn't allowed to talk?"

Ianto closed his eyes and nodded.

"It's okay. You can, if you want to."

Myfanwy swooped down to investigate the new arrival to the Hub. Ianto nearly jumped out of his skin.

"She won't hurt you, will you girl?"

The great bird squawked her reply and settled on the gantry above Jack's office, watching them closely. Ianto settled back against the couch and Jack removed his hands.

"Feel better?" he asked.

Ianto nodded.

"When you feel up to it, I'll show you around."

Ianto remained still.

Jack looked at Owen. "Go home."

Owen nodded and moved towards the cog door. "Will you be okay with him?"

Jack smiled. "Yeah. Now go home!"

Owen waved his goodbye and left.

Jack turned his attention back to the young Welshman. "Try and get some sleep. It's only…." Jack looked at his watch, "3.15am."

Ianto blinked a few times, then closed his eyes, turning on his side to face the immortal. Jack felt his heart swell.

'_What the…' _he thought. _'Get your mind back on track, Harkness! He is __**not **__for you!'_

Jack sighed, looked down at the younger man and sat down on the coffee table. It seemed that, although he needed to get on with paperwork in his office, his legs and an agenda of their own. So, for the next 2 hours, he just sat there, watching Ianto Jones while he slept.

_**TBC**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**SORRY IT'S SO SHORT, WANTED TO END ON A CLIFFHANGER...**_

_**Chapter Three**_

The cog door rolling back brought Jack back to the present, as Toshiko walked through.

"Morning, Jack. How is he?"

Standing up, Jack shrugged, trying to work the kinks out of his tense shoulders.

"He's been asleep since just after 3am."

Tosh smiled, handing him a Starbucks bag. Jack accepted it, looking inside.

"Mmm, cinnamon rolls. My favourite," he smiled. "Thanks."

Taking off her coat, Tosh went to her workstation. "You're not going to inform his sister yet, are you?"

"No. I think I'll wait a while, just to see how he is." Jack took a sip of the coffee and a bite from the roll. "Owen should be here soon."

Ianto opened his eyes and put a hand across them to block out the light. Then he rubbed at them and took his hand away. He spied Jack and smiled at him.

"Morning," said Jack.

Tosh looked at the young man and smiled.

The cog door rolled back and Owen came through.

"Morning. Good," said Owen, looking at Ianto. "He's awake. I need to take a look at him."

Jack stood in front of the couch. "Can it wait awhile? He's just woken up."

Owen shrugged. "Fine. I'll have a coffee and see what's on my rota for today and then come back to him."

Jack nodded. "Thanks."

Gwen arrived just as Owen was about to make coffee.

"Make that two, please Owen," she said, taking off her coat. "How's Ianto?"

"Good," replied the medic. "Seems to have slept through the night."

Gwen smiled and walked to the railing above the autopsy bay and leaned against it, looking at the young Welshman on the couch.

"Has his sister been contacted yet?" she asked Jack.

"No."

Gwen frowned, but she knew better than to question Jack.

After Owen had finished his coffee, he went to his workstation, switched on his computer and looked at his rota for the day.

"Got two autopsies to perform and a few reports to write out. Yuck! The reports can wait." He turned to look at Gwen. "Examination of Ianto Jones in ten minutes, then."

Gwen looked at Jack, who having heard, nodded. Gwen turned back to Owen and nodded.

"Right."

Getting up, Owen walked to the railings and finished his coffee.

"I'll get him something to eat, shall I?" asked Gwen.

"You could try milk, I suppose," said Tosh.

"Mmm, right."

Gwen went to the kitchen, opened the fridge and came back with a glass of milk. Walking back to the couch, she handed it to Ianto.

He took the glass and drank it greedily.

"He was thirsty," she acknowledged.

"Seems so," answered Jack, smiling.

"Okay, stop cooing over him ladies and let the doctor see the patient."

Ianto dropped the glass he was holding and it shattered into pieces as he looked at Owen, fear and disgust in his blue eyes.

"Doctor!" Ianto jumped off the couch and lunged for Owen. "Murderer!"


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter Four - OOTR**_

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" said Owen, turning to face Ianto. "I'm not a murderer!"

"I-I…Doctors...they called themselves doctors!" stammered the young Welshman.

Jack stood back, arms folded across his chest. He was right not to call his sister. He studied the younger man.

"What happened to you, Ianto?"

Ianto closed his eyes. "I-I can't…it was horrible!"

"We need to know, so we can help you," answered Jack.

Ianto looked at Owen. "Why would you even want to help me?"

"We're not your enemy," said the medic.

"They…experimented on us. I…was one of the lucky ones."

Owen scrubbed a hand over his face. "Experimented? How?"

"Our minds. Our blood." Ianto fixed his gaze on Jack. "They were aliens, experimenting on humans! I thought I was dreaming, but I wasn't, was I?"

Jack shook his head. "I'm not sure."

"They weren't green, like we're told when we're small," he said. "They had eyes on stalks and short stubby legs."

"Were they light blue with three fingers and two toes?" asked Jack.

"Yes. Do you know them? Silly," Ianto added, "How could you."

Jack nodded, much to everyone's surprise. "I've…met a few."

"Jack?" asked Owen.

Jack sighed. "Their planet is called Keot Delta 4. It was thought they kept themselves to themselves."

"Now we know why," said Owen.

"You said you were the lucky one, why?"

"I taught their young Welsh," he half smiled. "It kept me alive."

"Did they…"

He shook his head. "Time there goes so fast. It was like…I aged daily." He sighed. "A boy I was put with counted off the days since I arrived…42 in all."

"Bloody Nora!" exclaimed Owen.

"Explains why I never saw the same one twice.," said Jack.

Ianto frowned.

"I'll explain later," Jack told him.

"Jack!" said Tosh.

"Yeah?"

"I think you ought to see this."

Jack moved to Tosh's workstation.

"What have you got?"

Jack looked at the screen.

'_MYSTERY MAN IN LONG COAT SAVES TODDLER'_

The headlines screamed out from the screen.

"That's you, Jack."

"No!" Jack looked at Ianto, then back at the monitor. "It can't be," He read on.

'_18 MONTH OLD IANTO JONES WAS SAVED FROM CERTAIN DEATH UNDER THE WHEELS OF A BUS WHEN HIS BUGGIE WAS KNOCKED INTO THE ROAD BY YOUTHS. A STRANGER IN A LONG COAT SAVED THE BOY THEN DISAPPEARED INTO A CROWD OF ONLOOKERS'_

"He recognised the coat," said Jack. "That's why I could calm him."

"That's spooky," said Gwen.

Owen came up to stand beside Jack. "Explains a lot."

They all turned to look at Ianto.

"I didn't want any publicity, so I just moved on after I handed him back to his mother." Jack explained. "I'd forgotten all about it."

"Was this in Newport?" asked Gwen.

"No, Cardiff. Where the New Theatre is." Jack looked at the young man again, a smile curving his lips. "I should have recognised the name."

Ianto stood up off the couch and walked over to the railing above the autopsy bay. He looked down and shivered when he saw all the instruments Owen had put out for the autopsy he was going to perform later. His eyes drifted up, catching sight of Myfanwy, still perched on the gantry above Jack's office. He smiled. As if sensing his pleasure, the giant bird flew up into the heights of the Hub and squawked, landing in her lair.

"Contact his sister, Jack," said Tosh. "I think he might need her just about now."

Jack nodded in agreement.

_**TBC**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter Five - OOTR**_

Going up to his office, Jack sat at his desk, staring at the phone. He picked it up and sighed, taking the piece of paper from under the blotting pad and looking at the number. A sound by the door made him look up. Ianto was stood there, a smile on his face.

"I like it here," he announced. "Myfanwy likes me, I can tell."

Jack couldn't help but smile. This young man had captured his heart and he couldn't tell him. He replaced the phone and stood up.

"I'm glad."

Ianto moved to sit in the chair opposite Jack's. "Your coat…I remember it, don't I?"

"Yes," answered Jack, automatically. "We…met, a long time ago."

"I thought so." He didn;t question it.

Jack looked back at the phone. "You have a sister. I need to call her. Is that okay with you?"

Ianto frowned. "Will she take me away from here?"

"Yes."

"But I want to stay here, with you."

"You belong with your family, Ianto."

"But I don't know them."

"You will."

Ianto looked at his hands, his face sad. "What if I don't want to be with them?"

Jack sighed. "They have a right to know you're safe, Ianto."

"Tell them. But I want to be here…with you," he whispered.

"Ianto…you've been in a very strange place, with aliens for most of your life. I think you owe it to yourself and your sister, to start afresh."

"And what about me? What about what _I _want? Doesn't that count for anything?"

Jack sighed, moving to perch on the desk beside the younger man. "Of course it does. You've known us…me, less than 24 hours."

"I've known you…a lifetime," came the reply. "I remembered you!"

"You remembered my coat. It isn't quite the same thing, Ianto."

The young Welshman stood up. "I know what I want!"

"Do you?"

"Don't treat me like that child of 20 years ago, Jack!"

Jack stood up, laying a hand on Ianto's arm. "I'm not."

"Yes, you are." He brushed the hand aside.

"You're tired…"

"Don't!"

"Ianto…"

Ianto walked toward the door. "Go ahead. Call her, but I won't stay with her." He walked out of the office. "I wish I'd never come back!"

"Ianto, wait!"

The younger man hurriedly descended the stairs and ran through the cog door. Tosh and Gwen watched from their workstations. Owen moved toward the cog door.

"Owen, leave him," said Jack. Then he called Rhiannon Davies.

"Hi, my name's Captain Jack Harkness, I work for Torchwood."

"_Is this a bloody wind-up?"_

"No. It's about your brother. Ianto Jones…"

_**TWTWTW**_

Rhiannon stood by the Water Tower as Jack approached her. In his hand was the picture he took of Ianto earlier. Tosh printed it out for him.

"Rhiannon? Jack Harkness."

"How do you know it's my brother?"

Jack showed her the photograph.

Rhiannon put her hand over her mouth, stifling a cry. "He looks just like Tad," she offered. "Where is he? Can I see him?"

He nodded. "He's a bit overwhelmed, as you can imagine." Jack cleared his throat. "He's just over there." He pointed to the Millennium Centre.

A young man, dressed in jeans and a grey hooded jacket, hands in pockets, was stood by the door. Rhiannon walked towards him, then broke into a run. Stopping just feet from the young man, she began to tremble.

"Ianto?"

The young man nodded.

Moving forward, she pulled him into her arms. He stiffened and then relaxed against her.

"Rhi!" he whispered.

His arms went around her waist, as they clung to each other. Jack could only stand and watch.

"I thought I'd lost you forever. Where have you been?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," he said, looking over her shoulder at a smiling Jack. "One day, I'll explain."

Stepping onto the invisible lift, Jack disappeared into the Hub below.

_**THE END**_


End file.
